Scancran Fire
by Golden-Twilightflame
Summary: *Sequel to Magelet and Spy* Eos, once an enslaved mage, now lives with Tristan and Darkan in her homeland in Scancra. But trouble brews...not only between Darkan and Tristan, but through Eos's dark heritage. *Ch. 2 up*
1. Goddess Return

A/n: This is set after Magelet and Spy, say...a couple of months later. I was going to abandon writing altogether, but then I read Rainfall and LeopardDance's reviews and decided to try again. ^ ^ (Which reminds me, this first chapter is dedicated to you two...do I get donuts now? I love sugar). Many thanks to my other reviewers as well, you guys are awesome!!! (And now, enjoy the show.) Which reminds me, if there are any contradictions between this story and my last one, please please please tell me so I can fix it! It's darn embarrassing that I can't remember every detail of my last story, considering the time I spent on it. Anyway...  
  
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Ch. 1:  
Eos looked around in the house Darkan and Tristan, who were currently *oddly* glaring at each other, had built for her and broke into a smile. "Thank you, both." She actually hugged both of them in excitement. "I can store my weapons here, and put a couple of death spells for unwelcome visitors, and maybe I can-" Tristan looked at her guiltily and rather oddly. "Well, I actually wanted you to keep this place running while the both of us smooth over your...existence with the clan. The women are a tad upset that they have 'competition' as they aptly put it, now, and the men are a tad more upset because they've been forbidden to court you."  
  
Here Darkan and Tristan shared wry, then hard looks. Tristan continued with a glower, "-so we were forced to keep you somewhere doing something that would be considered useful while we talked to everyone about you and tried to keep the women from viewing you as competition." After entering Scancra, Darkan and Tristan had brought her here to Tristan's family and clan. To say the least, Eos's informal introductions had not gone well. Eos stared at him.  
  
"But you could just say that you're betrothed to me, because it's true, so we could just go with that." Darkan stepped up at this point. "Actually, Tristan has agreed with me on the point that that certain piece of wonderful information should be temporarily withheld from everyone in the castle." Eos snarled softly at him, but acquiesced easily when they pointed out that people in the castle would only look at her with true envy, hate, or scorn if they knew that she were...betrothed. It sounded weird in her mind, that she was politically attached to Tristan. She looked at him with a critical eye, noting the handsome features and silver-blonde hair framing the ice blue eyes that made Tristan so...Scancran. She recalled the deadly cruelty...and strong friendship that lay in his intricate personality that she had discovered during her stay in the past year in Carthak.  
  
In turn, she studied the dark haired Darkan, as different from Tristan as night was from day. Opposite from Tristan's glacier, Darkan was intense, yet as brilliantly attractive in his own way. He had dark emerald eyes and slightly long black hair, tied neatly in back of his head with a leather thong. (A/n: no, not the underwear. don't even go there...besides, can you imagine any self-respecting person doing that? And leather too for God's sake. How uncomfortable is that?) Instead of Tristan's cat-like slimness, he was more muscular although he retained similar agility and shape. The both of them were formidable warriors, both enabled with magic and physical strength that could defeat all but few....which unfortunately included Eos, for them.  
  
Eos smiled, bringing a glow to her almost irrepressible and irresistible aura. "Can you imagine the commotion it would make if the women in the castle realized that Tristan were betrothed to me and Darkan my Guardian? I think they'd all faint, or try to kill me with pitchforks and kitchen knives." She smiled more widely at the thought, then quickly looked over the assortment of throwing stars, Shang assassin daggers, and various spelled weapons she carried subtly on her body. Darkan raised an eyebrow, reminding her that the throwing stars and Shang daggers had been 'presents' from Tristan and himself on board the ship. Tristan smoothly cut into the undertones passing between Eos and Darkan, and said, "Oh, don't worry about that. It's tradition for Scancran noblemen to have mistresses, did you forget?" He yelped as Eos chased him around the room, knocking down Darkan and creating a rather odd scene of three grown adults chasing each other around in mad circles. Darkan gasped as he ran his fiftieth round around the forest, "I'm not doing this anymore," and caught Eos around the ankles, effectively slamming her to the ground. And Tristan, who had the good fortunes to have been caught by Eos as she fell. Darkan gave Eos a good thump on the behind. "I ought to give you a spanking for that, " he gasped, "but I'm too tired to do anything but sleep." And promptly fell asleep on Eos's legs, easily trapping her with his body weight. Eos glared up at Tristan, who had wiggled his way out. Tristan sat down, and grinned as Darkan winced but said nothing through Eos's attempts to kick his throat through his brain. Finally, Darkan sat up. "I don't think we should do this everyday," he said while rubbing his throat. Eos groaned in response.  
  
A voice carried through the forest, annoying in its high pitched noise. "Trrrriiiiiisttaaaaan!!!!!!" A pretty young woman emerged from the low hanging branches, and Tristan inwardly groaned. "Shanie, I told you that I can't." Shanie only pursed her lips and smiled. "I'm serious, Shanie." Tristan looked at Darkan and Eos with a plea in his eyes. Eos sighed, and mouthed behind Shanie's back, 'Do I really have to do this?' She got a puppy look in return, and only smiled viciously at Shanie while she imagined the things she would do to the choking Darkan later. Sitting fluidly on Tristan, Eos cooed, "But of course, since he is my betrothed..." Shanie flushed with anger, and looked at Tristan's bland eyes. Then she got a crafty look that boded ominously for Darkan. "But then you won't mind me going after him," she gestured toward Darkan, "-would you?" Eos replied promptly, "He's my guard for this trip, and also a celibate monk."  
  
After Shanie flounced away, Eos turned to Darkan and Tristan. "Explain."  
  
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Alright, I know. But I swear, I'm not writing that badly on purpose. Pointers? Please?  
  
-Golden-Twilightflame 


	2. Guardian Rivalry

A/n: THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING!!!! ^ ^ Rainfall, you're an awesome reviewer. I get such a huge grin on my face every time I see a new review, thank you thank you thank you.  
  
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Ch. 2:  
  
Shanie ran her fingers lightly over the Scrancan lord's chest as he blinked at her sleepily. "My lord, if you would only do me this one favor..." She grinned as he moaned an assent, and thought viciously of the beauty that had snubbed her in the forest. Lovely or no, no one humiliated her and got away with it.  
  
~-~  
  
Tristan and Darkan circled each other, each with wooden honed practice knives in their hands. Suddenly, Tristan ducked as Darkan thrust in a blur with his left hand and came up in attack. Darkan easily parried, sending Tristan back in defense. As if in mortal combat, they kept their eyes honed to every pinpoint of movement on their opponents' bodies. Darkan and Tristan began circling again, only to be interrupted by Eos's musical voice. "What are you two doing? You promised me that you wouldn't practice without me!" A hint of concern was in Eos's voice...rightfully. For the past few weeks, the two men had been constantly creating tension whenever they looked at each other, whenever they were in the same room.  
  
It had gotten to the point where Eos threatened to leave if they were going to act like two dogs fighting over territory; after that, they had learned to keep their odd wariness of each other away from Eos. Darkan shook his head, and then smiled at Eos. "Don't worry about us. We're honestly not going to try to kill each other like we did on the boat." Tristan kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Darkan's right, the boat was just too...confining." Eos snorted, then helped Darkan with his equipment as he gave her the same puppy dog look that both he and Tristan had discovered while on the boat. While she smiled and talked with them intently, she accidentally missed the glares that the two men were exchanging over her head.  
  
Later, Eos stared as her ('honestly, I'm humble and I won't squeak a word to annoy you or talk overmuch mistress, I honestly won't but if you need anything I'll get it for you fast as you can say servant. By the way my name is Maina and I have two sisters and a brother here that will get anything for you as well, not that the other servers won't because we're all very hospitable here and we don't get many guests here. Have you met the lord? He's very kind and handsome, everyone likes him and I'm sure you'll like him. Well anyway, that should get you in. I have your bath ready and just give me those clothes to wash; Dear, dear, these are so dirty we'll have to give the back in a few days so sorry mistress.') maid chattered on and on and on while she tried to teach Eos how to cook. "Now you put the oil in the pot first, always put the oil when you fry things. But if you want to deep fry, then you should put in animal fat or grease because it's so much better. That reminds me, we should try fried chicken tomorrow because it's really good. Did I mention that we serve that only once a month? Not that your ladyship will do any-oh, I'm going off again. Well, then you put the skinned chicken in here, and just wait until it's that nice brown color. Oh yes, and you have to put in those herbs and clean the chicken first, I forgot." At that moment, Darkan knocked on the door and Eos nearly ran to get it. Her eyes sparkling with relief, she smiled at Darkan, who gave a slow, lazy grin back. "So, Eos, want to help us?"  
  
"Gods yes! I mean, yes. Thank you." Unaware of her blazingly haunting hazel eyes, she pretended to bat her eyes at him and said in a throaty purr meant to mock the attempted seduction of young nobles, "But of course, I would love it if we would just go...swordfight in the forest." Something glimmered in Darkans eyes, which was quickly suppressed. Then he matched her mocking imitation of the unknowingly hilarious Scancran nobles and said in a deep, smooth voice, "Oh yes. Quite. Let's go." He kissed her hand, and they walked hand in hand out the door. With Maina staring with an incredulous look on her face, and then an odd look.  
  
~-~  
  
Mithros looks down at the Goddess-Elect and sighs. [Must everything go her way? If she chooses the wrong one to be her Guardian-]  
  
The Goddess smoothly interrupts. [Neither appears to be the wrong one. They both shine with the light of possibility.]  
  
Mithros's gaze darkens. [What do you mean? Darkan Finousri may be his current name, but he has been destined to Guard her since and before the time of his birth. Can you imagine what could go wrong if she goes with the sun-bright one? He would crush her, destroy her with his love for her.]  
  
The Mother Goddess replies, [Exactly. Love. He is deeply in love with her, and so is Darkan. Because of this, he would do anything to protect and nurture Eos because it is set into the Guardian to protect at all costs. That is the basis of their Guardianship, in the first stanzas of the Guardian creed.]  
  
Two hearts twine as one  
  
Love burning strongly as a sun  
  
Guard the Goddess with your soul  
  
Shielding Her from darkness's blight  
  
[Both could be her Guardian. Both love her by choice, both would die for her. That is why they are in contention, although they are not aware of it. Even Darkan does not know. They compete to Guard her, to be able to love her alone.]  
  
[This can only lead to pain and suffering for the young one. She is one of us, but so young.]  
  
[She is like a diamond. The Goddess Elect is beautiful and intelligent, yet strong as an adamantine saber and far more dangerous. She will know to make the right choice when the time comes.]  
  
[And if the two young stags in contention for their title inadvertently lose the life of the Goddess Elect?]  
  
[Let us hope that day never comes.]  
  
~-~ 


	3. Vicious Betrothal

A/n: Smiles wreathed around my face, thank you for reviewing, everyone!!!!! *dances around* whew, way too much mocha....my school has a coffee machine. YAY.  
  
Disclaimer: I relinquish claim of Tortall, Scancra, vocabulary, people, etc. to Tamora Pierce and Cate Tiernan, from whom I derived the vocabulary term athame for Eos's special dagger. Read Sweep, it's an awesome series! Anyway...  
  
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Reviewers (btw, this includes a reviewer from Magelet and Spy):  
  
Wizardingdilemna: thank you *bows* and have fun reading this one ^ ^.  
  
Paws 'n whiskers: The house is actually in the forest, sorry if I didn't clear that up. Yup, Shanie's brewing something quite evil. ;-D But you'll have to guess what it is, until I write it up. Giving you a hint: she's a bit nutty. Off the ledge. Loony. You know what I mean? Well, her devious mind should be like that unless something better occurs to me. Hmm....I'm definately going to keep Tristan and Darkan as rivals, but which one do you think should get Eos? Or should either get Eos? Yup, Maina is awesome. So far...hehe....lol, I feel the water's pain. Does water feel pain? No. Never mind...thank you for reviewing twice!! I feel so loved.  
  
Rainfall: You know, come to think of it, Shanie's kind of like this girl at my school...*shudders* awful person. Anyway, Shanie's probably going to be very nasty for a while. Gotta luv Maina, she's the epitome of bubbling cheerfulness. Kind of. ^ ^ Btw: who should get Eos? Thank you for reviewing again!!!!!!! (I swear, I wouldn't be writing if you didn't review ;-D) Have fun reading!  
  
Btw: Even though they didn't review this story *frowns* I still wanna thank LeopardDance, Les Yeux Violets, and demented-dreamer for reviewing Magelet and Spy more than twice :-D.  
  
Btw2: I am SO sorry I haven't updated for weeks upon weeks...school is busy right now and I just started up with alot of extracurricular activities that make sure I can't write alot. *wince* Scoldings welcome, all. Reviews also welcome.  
  
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Ch. 3:  
  
"Eos." Darkan strode into her room, and in a split second the formerly sleepy Goddess Elect immediately turned around in a sharp motion, froze Darkan in place with her magic, and pressed two very magical, very lethal daggers to his neck. All in a second, like a viper striking. Then she breathed out, and eased the curving daggers, called athames, carefully off their two parallel positions on Darkan's slightly bleeding neck. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I've just been getting weird vibrations for a while now, and it's making me really jumpy." Darkan took a breath, and smiled at her. "It's alright. But I've been getting the same vibrations, and I think it's because you're in danger. So...I'm going to suggest something. To make you less...conspicuous and less likely to incur basic jealousy. Then we can go on to other things if you need it." Eos looked at him with suddenly ancient hazel eyes. "You're going to spell me."  
  
"Yes. I'm going to reduce your features for a while, so women are less likely to dislike you. Just in case this is just some powerful woman that you've incured the wrath of because you're turning the heads of her husband or lover." Or both, he thought.  
  
"Reduce my features. Disfigure me? Will I have...a nose? Human features?"  
  
"Yes, yes, of course. But you're rather...pretty." Pretty like the Dominion Jewel is sort of known and has some power. He continued. "So we're going to put a glamor on you, make you seem gradually less beautiful until you're just a plain faced girl that won't be noticable anywhere. I've got the materials here, it's fairly easy to do."  
  
~~~  
  
Eos stared thoughtfully at Tristan. "Well...I suppose that could happen." They were 'taking a break' from their ordinary martial arts practicing and were currently in a Shang body lock. (For my naughty-minded readers, no, no, NO. Heavens no. I mean like fighting kind of body lock. Don't even go there.) Eos struggled to get out, but couldn't. "Yes, I think I could go to a ball again...in my next lifetime." Tristan gave her a pleading look, then got an obstinate look in his ice blue eyes. "Fine. Then we aren't getting off this floor until you do, and I ate breakfast before this. And know for sure that you didn't." He looked calmly at her, and the obstinate eye-look grew. Eos thought for a moment, and then kicked him really hard, struggling to get free. Not succeeding, thanks to Tristan simply using the full force of his weight to knock the breath out of her lungs.  
  
Under the shade of Tristan's head, she saw two pairs of dainty feet come near them and a nice, pretty voice chime out, "Tristan Staghorn! Why, you haven't come to see me yet! And who is your companion?" Tristan stiffened on top of her, and slowly got up, revealing Eos' curious expression. Tristan completely reddened, then recovered and responded, "Maya! How are you and Daran?" He quickly stood up, and smiled at Maya. Eos smiled politely, and jabbed Tristan in the ribs. "And-and this is Eos, my fiancée. She's very fond of martial arts." The woman raised an eyebrow at Tristan. "Fiancée? I am surprised, my lord. But you have a tendency to break off engagements anyway, so..." She pouted, and slapped his arm lightly as she continued. "Just like when you broke off our engagement." Eos smiled, and pretended to cling to him possessively. "Really?"  
  
Maya, obviously thinking she was a typical Scancran noblelady, tried to begin a verbal catfight as she responded. "Oh yes, we were in love for a long time. Runs along the countryside, dancing in each others' arms...it was so perfect." She sighed, and smiled softly at the look on Tristan's face. "But Tristan is uncomfortable. I'm sorry, I've been ignoring you for the entire time." In reality, Maya was so close to him she rubbed against him every time she breathed in and out. Eos started trembling, and Maya feigned wide eyed remorse. "Oh, I so sorry." Eos said in a strangled voice, "It's alright. Excuse me, I need to go-up-" She practically ran away from the pair.  
  
Maya smiled at Tristan like a cat with a cornered mouse and moved to kiss him. "I missed you," she breathed. "Dayan is so boring, and you are so...lively. Strong." She ran her fingers teasingly down his tunic. Tristan looked at her with an hard look on her face. "Maya, I don't think this is a good idea. We can't do this anymore, I'm not who I was and you are married to Dayan with children now." Maya pouted playfully with bright red lips. "I don't see anything changed, you're just frightened that your plain faced bride to be is listening or got her feelings hurt. Scancran women are stronger than that, you of all people should know that."  
  
Tristan pushed himself away from her wandering hands. "What is that supposed to mean?" Maya looked at him with an innocent look on her face. "My love, I was only referring to your many conquests in and out of Scancra. Do you honestly think all of them died of grief over you?" Tristan got an even more shuttered look on his face. "Good-bye, Maya. I don't expect to speak to you again about this." Maya looked airily at him, and watched him walk away. She sighed, and noticed Darkan. "Excellent."  
  
~~~  
  
That night, Eos noticed something odd going on with Darkan and Tristan during supper. It was the night that she had been officially presented as Tristan's betrothed, and because of that she had actually appeared in traditional Scancran female dress-which she hated because it was so...revealing.  
  
The dress was thin silk, as befitted a lady of a high noble house. That was the only decent thing about it. The dress was tight and had a deep, deep neckline that almost touched the soft leather belt by inches. As Maina had rapidly and lengthily explained while the dressmaker sewed industriously, the nearly transparent silk wasn't to keep her warm. The midnight blue dress had long sleeves that flared out at the end to emphasize her slim arms and small hands; the lower part had two slits that revealed more than the skirt covered.  
  
Thus Eos was unhappily put on display; however, having been told by Darkan and Tristan quite firmly that she had to, she had simply gritted her teeth and smiled. She shivered slightly, then frowned as she caught the deadly looks being exchanged by her two...companions. They weren't friends, and they weren't lovers, so they were companions for lack of a better word.  
  
While Tristan had held her hand above her head with his, she had felt like a possession. A pretty bauble to be put away or used whenever the owner desired. And then she had felt the heat of Darkan's anger billowing out at her. After Tristan had kissed her lightly on the lips to the bawdy cheers and shouts that had been shouted to him, the two had been going at it all night.  
  
Eos whispered in Tristan's ear, "Stop it. Now." Tristan took a second to look at her, and she was completely shocked at the deep emotion in his eyes. "No." Then he went back to conversing with his relatives and friends while Eos was left to sit there. Eos thought, 'Glacier. I am frozen in my position, I cannot move.' Unbidden, a smile lit up her face as a tiny thought attatched itself to her meditiation. 'And then I can punch Tristan.' Darkan looked at her, and smiled slowly. "So. Enjoying your betrothal night? You know all the ladies here are ready to gouge your eyes out."  
  
"Be quiet, or die. It's bad enough you two evil lizards made me wear this-this-outrage. It makes me look like a courtesan woman. "  
  
"Ladies aren't supposed to know who they are."  
  
"That's why they're called Ladies. It's a superficial idealist model of society that some idiot thought up when he was obviously hallucinating." Eos raised a haughty eyebrow at Darkan. "And don't tell me that you beg to differ."  
  
"I beg to differ." Darkan's eyes smoldered with held in laughter, and Eos smiled back for a tiny moment. Then Tristan looked back at the two, and hissed at Eos, "What are you doing? You're making me look like a fool." Eos's eyes widened with rage, and her eyes grew bright. Her eyes grew bright-not with tears, but with power. At that moment, the lord of the castle stood up. He grinned drunkenly, and slurred, "Tristan Staghorn is betrothed tonight, but I think we should see for ourselves how well the lady shall do for him!" Shanie appeared at his elbow, and whispered something to him. The lord nodded clumsily, and yelled, "Whoever can beat me in a wrestling match gets to kiss the bride!" Several men, who had been eyeing her disgustingly all night, set up a cheer that resounded through the hall as men yelled their approval of such an idea.  
  
Eos completely stiffened. She looked straight at Shanie, and said loudly, "There is absolutely no way I am consenting to this." She turned while a silence fell through the hall, and made to walk out of the hall before it could get any worse. As Eos caught a look at Shanie's furious face and grinned, she was caught by Tristan's strong hand digging painfully into her arm. Tristan, in a loud voice, addressed the crowd. "My bride apologizes. I think she drank too much of my mead, lads." He forced a smiled as he turned the shell-shocked Eos around. He hissed to her, "You are being a stubborn child. Now sit down and don't do anything more foolish for the rest of the meal, do you hear me?"  
  
"Bastard," she forced out. Tristan muttered a few words, and her magic also died suddenly. "If you ever defy me like that again, I'll put binding spells on you like I did in Carthak. I'll even bring the necklace back." Eos completely stiffened, and like a statue she revolved while struggling not to cry-or kill him. She said formally, "I apologize, my lord." Mechanically, she turned to her food while imagining different ways to gut Tristan with dull knives. The rest of the evening went smoothly, with Eos being a perfect...little...doll woman.  
  
Later, as Eos walked gracefully up to her room, she heard footsteps behind her. She whirled around, and sent two balls of witchfire to bind the person. Holding her two athames, she slowly advanced toward the struggling figure when her witchfire exploded and hit her, causing her mind to reel as if she had downed several pints of strong drink. Eos stumbled, and sat down hard on the cold stone steps. However, she knew it could only be Darkan because Tristan, the only other one with that much power in the hall, was probably still cavorting with his chauvinistic, idiotic friends and probably a couple of servant girls.  
  
Eos slowly sheathed the athames, and stood in the darkness. "Darkan?" A pair of arms enfolded her, and she clung to a hard body that she punched so many times and simply shook with her rage and withheld hurt. After a while, the arms relaxed a little and Eos thought with some confusion that Darkan had changed body shape. Then soft lips kissed her forehead, and traveled down her face. "I'm so sorry, Eos. I don't know what got into me." Eos froze as the lips hit hers, and hands began to caress her slowly. The lips deepened the kiss, and a tongue hesitantly explored her mouth while hands stroked with experienced care. Eos's eyes widened. This wasn't...couldn't....no....NO! Confused, angered, and frighteningly aroused, Eos kicked the figure hard between the legs hard and backed away. The figure gasped, "Oh god. This is going to hurt." And then moaned with nausea and pain as he collapsed on the stone steps. "Get away from me, Tristan. I'm not some pliable Scancran doll woman to be pushed around. Don't touch me, don't talk to me, and if you ever threaten binding spells on me again I will cut off your favorite body part." She ran away, hearing only the slight groans of her groom-to-be.  
  
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Don't you just want to KILL Tristan? I hate doing this to Eos, but it needs to happen for my plot to unfold. But oh my god I want to MURDER him right now.  
  
Btw, I would feel completely grateful if I got even one review, I know I've been more than awful about updating my story. 


	4. Ancient Manuscript

Disclaimer: I don't own anything owned by Tamora Pierce or Cate Tiernan. Any similarities to other stories are purely coincidental and non- intentional.  
  
Reviewers:  
  
Rainfall: Yes, Tristan was the hugest jerk on the planet in my last chapter...tell me what you think of this one. Personally (and I'm really not fishing for compliments) I think this one is awful beyond belief. Thank you for reviewing again!!!!!  
  
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Ch. 4:  
  
Eos stalked around the Scancran castle, with fire blazing through her hazel eyes. Maids in the hall took one look at her obviously lethal fury (as she was carrying her most magickal dagger openly) and ran. Coming into the courtyard, Eos walked up to Shanie, who was seated primly on a cushion while the lord and another man grunted and wrestled on the floor. Shanie, not noticing Eos's prescence, clapped her hands gaily and ran up to the winner with a kiss and her favor. The man, however, pushed her away as ice blue eyes glinted. "Shanie. No. I told you, I'm not bedding my lord's leman." Shanie merely pouted, and retreated to her lord's side. For his ears alone, Shanie whispered, "Someday you'll be mine." Then Geoffrey, Lord of Caer Mach, was dragged away with a flash of dirty blonde hair in sunlight.  
  
Eos advanced warily up to Tristan, already experiencing one of the side effects of the necklace that she had started noticing a while ago-she could occasionally feel his emotions still. Not particularly happy, she unknowingly looked at him with her Goddess look. "I believe you wished to speak to me?" Tristan merely nodded, and they walked together into the stable. Eos turned around, and a myriad of emotions touched her. Hurt, most prominent. Tristan had been pure arrogance and evil last night. Confusion, that she would even give him a chance to be forgiven. Anger, that he would dare to speak to her so. And a slight tinge of fear...fear of the necklace. Then his emotions hit her. Extreme anguish, pleasure, fear, grief, rage...love. Eos looked at him for a moment, then decided not to inform him that she could feel his emotions like she could Darkan's because of the necklace. They could talk about the love later.  
  
Eos blinked, and almost smiled. While she had been obviously encased in her thoughts, Tristan had managed to put them both on horses, and lead her horse to a beautiful view of dark forests, shining rivers, and bright stars in a unfathomable sky. Instead of smiling, she got off the horse and Tristan followed her. They hiked in silence for about two miles, then Tristan swung her around and hugged her. He said against her hair, "I'm so...so...sorry. I don't know why I did what I did, I don't know why I turned into that person, but I never meant to hurt you or humiliate you like that." They stood there, Eos absorbing his apology and then simply hugging him. She looked up at him with eyes turned silver by the moon. "I can't completely forgive you, but I can start." Tristan smiled slowly, and Eos felt overwhelming happiness spill over to her. Unbidden, an alien thought came to her. *It's just like a dog. Throw them a bone and they're happy, but kick them once and they cower.* Eos, frowning, shook away that thought. Tristan tipped her chin gently, and smiled. "Thank you, songbird." Then he strode quickly away, leaving Eos with her thoughts and a black, star filled night.  
  
The next day, Darkan went up to talk to Tristan. "Something's wrong." Tristan blinked. That tension that had been there all summer was suddenly gone. "What?" Impatiently, Darkan replied, "I think someone or something is manipulating us. Eos and I found a manuscript, and as we were translating it from the Old Mystar rather painstakingly, we eventually began to form the hypothesis that," here Darkan looked almost uncomfortable, "we're fighting over Eos."  
  
Tristan stared at Darkan, then started to smile. "So we're like two stags going at each other for a doe."  
  
Darkan, beginning to find humor in it, said wryly, "A doe that can kill the two stags if she gets mad enough, yes."  
  
Tristan looked at Darkan thoughtfully. "You might actually be on to something there...but are we fighting over her for the normal reasons, do you think? Or do you think it's for something else?"  
  
Darkan stared hard at Tristan. "The first thing a Guardian learns is that there is a Goddess Elect or usually a Protectorae, somewhere out there. The bond between the Guardian and the Protectorae is of the soul; it is said that such a bond is never matched. However, I later found out that there can be...a very special circumstance. It is fordained that there will be a special Protectorae that will have two Guardians because of her power. Protectorae being the normal woman in need of protection for divine purpose, and in our happy case, Goddess-Elect. The one and only most powerful, awe-inspiring, beautiful person to ever come into our lives."  
  
Tristan looked curious. "So what happens with the two Guardians? Supposing your theory is correct and all."  
  
Darkan's eyes widened as he received one of Eos's increasingly prolific telepathic messages. "As Eos happens to describe it, we do the classic macho thing and bash each other until one of us gets tired to having our skulls mashed together and decides to make it easier on the both us and just flop over and die." Tristan looked at Darkan with a slightly alarmed expression, then began to laugh. Catching the humor of the situation, Darkan's mouth quirked up in a slight smile before he began to laugh as well.  
  
"Goddess, I never laughed this much before I met Eos." Upon hearing this comment from Tristan, Darkan's features immediately hardened and they resumed their coiled tension within each others' presences.  
  
From her scrying pool, Eos sighed and worked on translating the manuscript.  
  
~-~  
  
Mithros looked down at the mortals and surprisingly, he smiled. [Our new Goddess has a gift for paraphrasing. I love it. We must introduce her to the badger god.]  
  
The Goddess laughed softly, then replied, [That would be stirring up trouble. But we need to watch this closely-they are so close to the truth. If they get it at the wrong time, this could all come crashing down on us.]  
  
[Yes. But she has more than enough wisdom to see the right path, I see that now. She simply has to learn to tap it. Can you imagine? Millennias of waiting, of collecting knowledge. Years even beyond ours.]  
  
Unbidden, a comment from long ago inserted itself in the Goddess's mind. [Makes you kind of wonder if she has faults, doesn't it? Beauty, power, inner strength, skill; she seems to incorporate everything mortals and immortals alike strive for.]  
  
The Goddess and Mithros both smiled.  
  
~-~  
  
Tristan and Darkan were both sitting on the soft sheepskin, patiently waiting for Eos to come out while they commented the changes made to her household within the weeks that Eos had been there. Stone walls were scrubbed clean of collected dirt, wax, and dust; dirty rushes on the floor had been replaced. Several enchanted chandeliers and candle holders were strategically placed to keep fumes away from the hall, while a large fireplace was set in the middle as to provide heat and light in the night. Tristan said with eyes watching for any hints of Eos, "In all, she could make some nobleman very happy. If she doesn't knock his head inside out first."  
  
Darkan responded thoughtfully. "She's been very careful. She's done nothing but extremely subtle magic, nothing showing that she ever went to Carthak or dressed in silks and pearls for months. There's absolutely nothing I can find in that hall that distinguishes it from any other well- run household." Tristan frowned at the reminder of his initial reasons for taking Eos to Carthak. "That was a different time, and a different place. Of course she would slip away."  
  
Before Darkan could respond, Eos walked in and sat down elegantly on another sheepskin. With a deeply inquisitive look in her eyes, she said, "Have you two discussed the rest of the manuscript yet?"  
  
Darkan only shook his head, reminding her that she hadn't shown them her translated version yet. Eos quickly drew some unknown symbols in the air that glowed the multi-layered colors of her unique magic before the symbol flickered out, only to be replaced by a piece of parchment.  
  
Sorry for such a short chapter, my teachers have decided that it's project simultaneous week. YAY. Please read and review!!! (And flames too, I like tips on my work. Please, please no pointless criticism.) 


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